01 February 2006

ZIMBABWE: Basketbal teams boycott games against Giants

THE Bulawayo Basketball League is having problems with some of its teams that are failing to fulfil fixtures against Giants.

Sources in the sport said some of the small clubs were reluctant to play the all conquering club with the men's team unbeaten so far while their women counterparts have lost just one game.Last weekend Giants were awarded maximum points in both the men and women’s league after their opponents Abundant Life Christian Church and PG Lakers failed to fulfil fixtures against them.On 14 January ALCC who anchor the women’s league opted to boycotted their fixture against Giants.Cheryl Homela, a Giants player expressed disappointment over the issue as she feels the basketball league lacks competition because of such teams.“We are disappointed because we prepare for these games only to find that the teams do not turn up on the match day.“When we qualify for the national league we want to go there through hard work rather than these free points that we are getting,” said Homela.Surprisingly, PG Lakers women played Highlanders in a match that they lost 2395 last week.On the other hand, ALCC men played Kings but failed to fulfill last weekend’s fixture against Giants.Jabulani Sibanda, the ALCC Sports Coordinator confirmed that his team failed to fulfill their fixture after some of the players failed to turn up.“We could not play Giants because most of our players did not come to the match venue. We only had three players and the match could not go on,” said Sibanda.Hubert Bhebhe, a former Giants coach confirmed that a number of teams had failed to fulfill fixtures especially against Giants although he could not give reasons.“A number of teams have of late been failing to fulfill fixtures against Giants and we are yet to talk to the teams to hear their reasons for not fulfilling the fixtures,” said Bhebhe.The PG Lakers coach Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, who was away on the day of the match, was surprised when he heard that his team had not fulfilled the fixture as they had prepared for the match.“I am surprised that they failed to fulfill the fixture because we prepared for the game without any problems,” said Ndlovu.Despite the inactivity in the past three weeks Giants women still top the log standings with their male counterparts in pole position as well.